A vehicle, especially one used in earthmoving operations, is conventionally equipped with a parking brake which prevents movement of such vehicle when it is not operating and also acts as a safety device to provide means for stopping the vehicle in emergency situations wherein the main service brakes might fail.
A similar concern for safety indicates the propriety of a supplementary power supply for steering vehicles equipped with power steering systems such that steering capacity is maintained even in the event of a failure in the primary system. With both the steering and braking capacities sustained under all conditions, vehicular safety is vastly improved.
Prior art parking brake systems and supplemental steering devices have usually been separately disposed in the vehicle amongst the various other components thereof. In some arrangements, the vehicle drive train is equipped with the parking brake and in other instances the brake acts directly upon the wheels of the vehicle.
Similarly, auxiliary power means for vehicular steering systems have been disposed in various relatively inaccessable locations within the vehicle confines. Servicing of such conventional systems has generally required time cnsuming disconnections and burdensome disassemblies of portions of the power train or other vehicular system to gain access to the essential elements. Such inaccessability for servicing of prior art systems has been a vexing problem in the industry.
Some examples of related prior art systems are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,407,894 and 3,424,262 to Thompson et al. and Kunz respectively.